1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical discharge weapon having replaceable cartridges, each carrying a pair of wire-tethered darts that are propelled toward a remote target for imparting a temporarily disabling electrical shock. The invention relates more specifically to such a weapon and cartridges wherein the cartridges may be bottom loaded into the weapon's firing chamber to significantly reduce reloading time after a cartridge has been spent.
2. Background Art
Electrical discharge weapons capable of firing wire tethered darts at remote targets have become useful non-lethal alternatives for police officers to subdue uncooperative and potentially dangerous subjects. Typically, such wire-tethered darts and a suitable propulsion mechanism are contained in replaceable cartridges which are loaded into the weapon for firing. Once the cartridges are spent, they may be removed and replaced by a new cartridge ready for subsequent firing. In typical electrical discharge weapons, the cartridges are received in a front-facing chamber with dart exit apertures directed toward the target. Usually, the cartridges are front-loaded into the weapon, that is, the loading direction is parallel to the line of sight between the weapon and the remote target as the weapon is pointed toward the target in a position that is ready to fire. In weapons that are shaped like pistols, the cartridge is loaded into what would be comparable to the front of the barrel of the pistol with the pistol aimed at the target. The cartridge is typically either received in a hollow congruent chamber into which the cartridge is inserted or is clipped on to the weapon's barrel end in an axially-directed motion. Usually, a spent cartridge is removed by an opposite motion wherein the used cartridge is translated parallel to the barrel in a direction toward the target. Such translation of the spent cartridge is usually accompanied or preceded by activation of a latch mechanism to release the cartridge from the weapon.
There can be occasions when the number of steps or distinct body motions and resulting reload time can become critical to the safety of a police officer and even to an assailant who may be threatening an officer. When an officer has to reload his non-lethal electrical discharge weapon, it usually means that for one reason or another his or her first “shot” has been ineffective. Perhaps one of the two wire-tethered darts missed hitting the target thereby precluding a completed electrical circuit through the target. Perhaps the darts impacted the target either too close together or too far apart to provide an effective and disabling electrical current. In any case, a subsequent attempt becomes necessary and the assailant does not often stand idly while the officer reloads his weapon. Often, the assailant becomes more agitated and more likely to attack the officer after a failed attempt to subdue him or her has occurred. For this reason, it is clearly important that the officer have the ability to reload as quickly as possible and not have to resort to use of his lethal weapon to protect himself which would, of course, endanger the life of the assailant.
It would therefore be highly advantageous if a Taser™-type weapon were configured for faster reloading as compared to currently available Taser™-type weapons.